Sweet Potato and Kale Sheet Pan Gnocchi

Poster-dish of fall.

Skip to Recipe

In my world, there's a sheet pan gnocchi for every season, and this sweet potato and crispy kale chips is my autumn offering. Roasted sweet potatoes, crispy kale, and an outrageous brown butter vinaigrette join shelf-stable gnocchi for a no-fuss weeknight dinner that you’ll return to all fall long.

Shelf-stable gnocchi is one of the most versatile ingredients you can stock in your pantry. Available in the pasta aisle in vacuum-sealed packs, they’re denser and chewier than a typical fresh gnocchi— and because of this, they can stand up to roasting, and even be grilled without falling apart. I’ve used them in everything from casseroles to salads to sheet pan dinners like this one.

While most vegetables benefit from a hot and fast roast, sweet potatoes benefit from a longer slower roasting process—and the reason is pure science. Sweet potatoes contain a special enzyme that converts their starches to sugar as they cook, bringing out their deep, rich sweetness. However, that enzyme is only active when the sweet potato’s internal temperature is between 135°F and 170°F, so if you want to get the most flavorful sweet potatoes, you’ll want to draw out the length of time they’re in that temperature range. 

Starting the sweet potatoes in a covered pan in a cold oven allows the sweet potatoes heat up slowly with oven so they have more time to develop their sweetness. Shielded from the harsh blast of heat, they also remain more soft and tender, and don’t shrink up as they might if they were roasted hard from the start. 

This sheet pan dinner is best fresh. While the sweet potatoes and the onion will keep well once roasted, the gnocchi and kale are at their crispy best right after they’re cooked. That said, if you have leftovers, they’ll keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!

---

Sweet Potato & Kale Sheet Pan Gnocchi

(Serves 4)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

12 oz. sweet potato, sliced into ⅓” half-moons

1 (17.5-oz.) package shelf-stable gnocchi

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (I used Diamond Crystal), divided

½ red onion, cut into ½”-thick wedges

8 oz. curly kale, de-stemmed and torn into large pieces

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized chunks

Equipment: large bowl, 2 large metal sheet pans, foil, medium bowl, whisk, flexible rubber spatula

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, toss together sweet potatoes, gnocchi, 3 tablespoons oil, and 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Spread onto an unlined sheet pan and cover with foil, crimping the edges to prevent steam from escaping.

2. Arrange the oven racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Place the foil-covered sheet pan on the lower rack, set the oven to 450° F, and set a timer for 15 minutes. (The sweet potatoes and gnocchi will begin to cook as the oven heats up.)

3. Meanwhile, in the same bowl, toss red onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Spread onto about ⅓ of a second unlined sheet pan. Add kale to the now-empty bowl, along with 1 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Using clean hands, scrunch the kale with the salt and the oil until kale is slightly wilted, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

4. After the sweet potatoes and gnocchi have been in the oven for 10 minutes, add the sheet pan with the red onion to the upper rack.

5. After the sweet potatoes and gnocchi have been in the oven for 15 minutes, remove the foil from the sweet potato pan (avoid disturbing the sweet potatoes and gnocchi). Spread the kale over the remaining empty side of the pre-heated red onion sheet pan.

6. Continue to roast until sweet potatoes and gnocchi are lightly browned on the bottom and tender in the center, red onion is tender, and kale is crispy and browned on top, 10-15 minutes more. (The exact timing will depend on your oven and also the color of your sheet pan. Keep an eye on both, since the two sheet pans may not be done at the exact same time.)

7. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, mustard, remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

8. In a small pot, melt butter over medium. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the butter foams and begins to brown. When the milk solids have transformed into lots of little brown flecks, it’s done. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the browned butter into the vinegar-mustard base. (Use a rubber spatula to scrape the last bits of browned butter from the sides and bottom of the pot—that’s where the flavor is!)

9. Let vinaigrette cool slightly, then taste and season with more salt as needed.

10. When both sheet trays are done roasting, pile the onions and kale on top of the sweet potatoes and gnocchi and lightly toss to combine. Serve with brown butter mustard vinaigrette for drizzling.

Originally posted October 14, 2026.